/ world today news/ The draft law, which will be considered by the deputies in the plenary hall, provides for the budget of the Health Fund to be updated with BGN 225 million. The bigger question remains whether the update of the republican budget will be supported, which provides that, in addition to giving additional money for health, revenues will be reduced by BGN 500 million.
Thus, the total deficit will be increased by BGN 725 million, which will increase it to 2.7 percent of the projected gross domestic product. The update of the republican budget also foresees an increase in the debt ceiling by a new 3.4 billion BGN – i.e. to reach more than BGN 21 billion, the aim being to provide a resource to support the Corporate Commercial Bank.
According to Finance Minister Petar Chobanov, the proposed BGN 225 million can be used to support two areas of the Health Fund’s budget: “200 million for hospital care, where the biggest problems and greatest tensions are. The remaining 25 million to ensure the treatment of cancer patients”.
However, experts signaled that if money is not found for drugs for outpatient treatment, it could lead to the bankruptcy of pharmacies and leave thousands of people without medicine.
They insist on receiving an additional 328 million leva from the treasury, and the accounts of some of the red deputies also differ from the government accounts.
A bigger dispute is caused by the need to find an additional resource with which to resolve the case surrounding the Corporate Commercial Bank. According to the BSP, the necessary BGN 1.7 billion can be procured from the fiscal reserve.
“Purely as an expert, the proposal was aimed at having an additional fiscal resource when there is no parliament, to make this update. But apparently the political forces have their differences and it is normal that it should be discussed in the parliament itself,” commented Chobanov.
To Darik’s question whether there is an option to support the Health Fund with BGN 225 million from the fiscal reserve and if it is necessary to support KTB with BGN 1.7 billion, also with money from the reserve, Chobanov answered: “We have to carefully deploy in time , if such a situation arises. That is, it all depends on how long the KTB audit will last and when the BNB will be able to say what the hole in the capital is, that is, how much negative capital is obtained in relation to the BNB depending on when it happens, then there will be a need to give these funds to pay off the guaranteed deposits. Because we see that there is not and probably will not be an agreement to pay off the non-guaranteed deposits.”
Asked if the money for the Health Fund can be found without adjustments in the state budget, the number one financier indicated that this BGN 225 million is a shortfall that the Health Fund estimates it will have in principle for the year. That doesn’t mean they’re out of money right now, he explained.
Chobanov is adamant that he can do without an update of the budget, but with it, peace of mind will be ensured for the cabinet.
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